Hey! You cheated. They didn't shut their fountain down. Just messing with you. I think there's at least a full inch everywhere else. Looked at a Nextdoor post where people were concerned because kids were walking on ponds. Hoping things open up soon. NWS still saying we're warm past New Year. Congrats on the snow bass.

Made it out for what may have been our last trip of the year. Bite has been picking up but still not what it usually is with the spots this time of year. Easy to get greedy and I shouldn't complain about 10+ fish up to 3lbs for a half day in December. 

 

 

 

 

16 hours ago, Team9nine said:

Found just enough open water on one pond today to make a few casts into, but that was enough. Mission accomplished

 

 

Great shot of a winter bass.  

Only water we have open now is where the waterfowl have congregated. I'm going to leave them be.

On 11/20/2019 at 10:36 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

 

Just... Wow!

 

On 11/28/2019 at 3:28 PM, galyonj said:

Caught a funny lookin' dink yesterday afternoon. Everything I know to look for points to a largemouth, but the color's like nothing I've ever seen.

 

I know a little about snakes and stuff, but not all that much about fish. Is it amelanistic, maybe?

Fish match their background. Fish in cloudy water will match that even "spacelight"; That's what your fish was responding to. Fish in open clear water, and away from bottom or objects, can be silver without markings, what I've called "pelagic silver". Fish near bottom or cover take on markings. This can be faded in cloudy water, or very intense in clear water. Fish also adjust color and patterning by mood, esp noticeable during the spawn.

On 11/29/2019 at 3:22 PM, TnRiver46 said:

It’s kind of weird, they run upriver in fall here also. The spring run they go way up into shallows but in fall they go up pretty far and seem to stop in deep holes and stay there all winter long. I’ve been known to have a fish fry darn near every night in winter and I give my neighbors a lot.  We caught them right below a dam today, 30,000 cfs. 

Many spring spawning species begin such activity in the fall, only to be held off until spring. Some have even been known to attempt spawning in the fall on warm years (yellow perch, chain pickeral, rainbow trout). Fish populations that must migrate a distance may begin that migration/run in the fall, and then winter over part way. This is why their are, or sadly were, year-round salmon runs in the Pacific NW, due to distance needed to travel to spawning grounds.

Last outing... until we get a thaw.

 

Revisited my shallow "Jungle Warfare" pond from this summer. Yeah, it looks a bit different now.

 

 

41F core water. Few fish in shallows. Found my fish in two "deep" cuts/channels, taking a half dozen beautiful winter bass. All on a 1/16oz Ned/Slider Head. Those "deep" cuts were 5 to 6fow, surrounded by 3 to 4fow.

 

 

2 hours ago, Paul Roberts said:

Fish match their background. Fish in cloudy water will match that even "spacelight"; That's what your fish was responding to. Fish in open clear water, and away from bottom or objects, can be silver without markings, what I've called "pelagic silver". Fish near bottom or cover take on markings. This can be faded in cloudy water, or very intense in clear water. Fish also adjust color and patterning by mood, esp noticeable during the spawn.

Right on. It's fascinating to me, the differences in coloration and pattern among the same species of fish that I've caught sitting in the exact spot I caught the one pictured. I love fishing.

On 12/22/2019 at 10:05 AM, Paul Roberts said:

Last outing... until we get a thaw.

 

Revisited my shallow "Jungle Warfare" pond from this summer. Yeah, it looks a bit different now.

 

Solstice sun angle and gold tinted bass--beautiful!

Tying to do better with jerkbaits. Especially this time of year when my weedy home lake is clearer of weeds. 

This is the 2nd fish I’ve caught since a friend gave me the bait last week.

The bait is the mystery minnow, by knockout bait company. I caught both fish on a slow, steady retrieve with breaks in between.

I’m on to something with this jerk bait. Every fish I catch gets bigger. I lost one that was 4 + a little while ago.

Getting excited about putting a few hours into it tomorrow.

@N Florida Mike, it’s just a fluke with more hooks! 

The struggle is real!  Thought after two days of low 50 degree highs, I'd see a lot more melting at the ponds. Nope. Still almost nothing open, and the one I hit two days ago is ony about 10% more open now than then...which means about half of it is still ice covered. Still made some casts and was able to land one little guy, so better than blanking. Continued warmup will get a couple of these places opened up eventually before we go cold again.

 

 

Too nice out and too many people off work for the holiday, but after being stuck inside for a few days and just laying in bed with the flu, it was nice getting out and catching some little ones.

9 hours ago, Team9nine said:

The struggle is real!  Thought after two days of low 50 degree highs, I'd see a lot more melting at the ponds. Nope. Still almost nothing open, and the one I hit two days ago is ony about 10% more open now than then...which means about half of it is still ice covered. Still made some casts and was able to land one little guy, so better than blanking. Continued warmup will get a couple of these places opened up eventually before we go cold again.

 

 

National snow cover map shows one stripe right across our area (shrinking). That's contributing to our mid-upper 20's nights. We take one step forward then a half step backward. Should be full open by Christmas day. Warm weather till rain Sat. P.M.

 

18 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

I’m on to something with this jerk bait. Every fish I catch gets bigger. I lost one that was 4 + a little while ago.

Getting excited about putting a few hours into it tomorrow.

You are going to LOVE jerkbaits!

 

15 hours ago, Team9nine said:

The struggle is real!  Thought after two days of low 50 degree highs, I'd see a lot more melting at the ponds. Nope. Still almost nothing open, and the one I hit two days ago is ony about 10% more open now than then...which means about half of it is still ice covered. Still made some casts and was able to land one little guy, so better than blanking. Continued warmup will get a couple of these places opened up eventually before we go cold again.

 

 

Warmer air temps this late, at our latitude, tend to slow heat loss, but don't do a heck of a lot for heat gain. Need direct radiation / sun angle for that. Only places open in my waters now are where waterfowl are keeping spots open, and a few incident (N) shoreline edges. Water beneath that ice is 38, 39F, so it's gnawing away. Needs some help though. Radiation is the workhorse. Conduction, not so much.

1 hour ago, Paul Roberts said:

You are going to LOVE jerkbaits!

I’ve fished with them before but never have done well. Soft plastics are hard to compete with around here.

I understand that!

I got out for a few hours today. Windy !! Stuck with the jerkbait and got a few . I got the feeling today would have been tough even with plastics.

Slow day but we scratched together a mixed bag. 60 degree air temp (after lunch) and sunny on Christmas Eve 

Took my old man out for a few hours yesterday!  Not a bad way to spend Christmas eve. This one went 4.12 and came on a rick clunn jerkbait! 

Nice pose. Looks like a DD.

I’ve been putting Ned to work the last  few weeks. Not catching huge numbers, but catching some quality fish thrown in the mix for sure. 
Lots of 2-3lbs, and in the last few days I’ve landed multiple 5lbers. 
There’s a long skinny 22” 4.5lb, a short fat 4.9 that was 19” from today. And a nice chunky 5.9lb 21-1/2” from yesterday. 
 

Sorry, pics loaded sideways and I can’t figure out how to make them right for some reason 

 

Got out for about 4 1/2 hours today with a buddy. Caught a pretty good mixed bag. Largies, spots, whites and stripers. 16-18 total. Only double of the day. Did hook into a striper that felt like the Earth was shaking every time it shook its head but the hook pulled. Not a bad day after Christmas

Ponds finally opened up today and had great success with the TRD Spinz, landed about 15 using them for the first time. Not sure how popular they are but can be a little hit and miss, had at least 6 misses which I’m assuming were short strikes due to the cooler temps, think I’ll try inserting the Spinz below the hook next outing. Total catches were over 20 in a 7 hour day.